Amsterdam launches “stay away” campaign aimed at young British men
Amsterdam’s city council is urging young male tourists from the UK to “stay away” from the Dutch capital in a bit to tackle nuisance behaviour.
As BBC News, reports, a new advertising campaign has been rolled out in Amsterdam to discourage people who plan on having a “messy night” out in the European sex and drug hotspot.
The initiative is aimed at British men aged 18-35. In the online ad, a young male tourist is seen staggering in the street before being arrested by police. Viewers are warned that such “drunk and disorderly behaviour” could result in a €140 (£123) fine and a criminal record.
It is reported that the “stay away” adverts will be triggered when people in Britain search for terms like ‘stag party’, ‘cheap hotel Amsterdam’ or ‘pub crawl Amsterdam’ on the internet.
Additionally, the local council has introduced billboards displaying photos of residents along with the caption ‘We Live Here’ in an effort to combat the issue of over-tourism in the city.
An accompanying ‘how to Amsterdam’ campaign will include posters, screens in hotel lobbies, and hosts approaching visitors to remind them of their manners.
There are also plans in the works to remove the Red Light District’s distinctive neon-lit windows to a new ‘erotic zone’, which will be located away from Amsterdam’s residential area.
From this weekend, brothels and bars will have earlier closing times. A ban on smoking cannabis on the streets in and around the Red Light District comes into action in May, it was announced last month.
As the BBC notes, there is still a debate about whether tourists should be banned from the Dutch capital’s cannabis cafes.
Brits can currently purchase return flights to Amsterdam for as little as £50.
The city – which has a population of 883,000 people – welcomes approximately 20million tourists per year, one million of which are from Britain.
Sofyan Mbarki, Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs and the Inner City, told the Guardian: “Visitors are still welcome, but not if they misbehave and cause nuisance. As a city, we are saying – we’d rather not have this, so stay away.”
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Tom Skinner
NME
